Shots Fired at Suzuki Motorcycle India Factory as Labor Strife Heats Up
Tue, 11 Oct 2011A man is facing charges after reports of gunshots and employees allegedly assaulted with glass bottles at Suzuki’s motorcycle plant in Gurgaon, India, as workers demonstrated in a sympathy strike in support of their counterparts at a Suzuki automobile plant.
According to the Indian Express, a man representing a company which supplies contract workers for Suzuki Motorcycle India allegedly fired his gun into the air and assaulted workers with beer bottles to intimidate them into calling off the strike. Two people were reportedly injured by thrown bottles. A police spokesperson says four shots were fired and an empty cartridge has been recovered at the scene.
A man identified only as Satish was arrested from a nearby hospital where he was receiving treatment for minor wounds allegedly sustained during his clash with workers.
About 800 workers at the Suzuki Motorcycle India plant in Gurgaon went on strike Oct. 7 to support workers at a Maruti Suzuki India factory in Manesar. Workers at Maruti Suzuki – India’s largest passenger car maker – went on strike, demanding the re-instatement of 44 recently suspended casual employees.
The labor disruptions at Maruti Suzuki have has gotten violent with 10 workers and five trainees dismissed and another 10 workers suspended for allegedly violent activities during the standoff.
[Source: Indian Express]
By Dennis Chung
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